What Does It Mean To Be Brave

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.”

― C. JoyBell C.

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/bravery

What Does It Mean To Be Brave?

The definition of Brave is: ready to face and endure danger or pain. Ready to face and endure danger or pain. Think on that for a second. Think of a time you consider yourself brave. Did you endure danger or pain?

Being brave has a lot of different meaning depending on situations, and the person that is defining it. Bravery could look like being an all-star athlete, taking a lot of risks, sky diving, or rock climbing. Or, being brave could be having a hard conversation with a loved one, saying no to something that makes you uncomfortable, speaking up for yourself or someone else. Being brave can be creating boundaries with people that do not align with your life values.

Glennon Doyle has a podcast about being brave, Episode 32 of /http://wecandohardthingspodcast.com/ . This episode completely changed how I viewed myself as brave. There are decisions I have had to make about creating distance with close relatives and having hard conversations with no idea what the outcome would be, and that causes me a lot of pain. But is that classified as being brave?

Yes. I believe that now.

If there is something external that causes you to question anything about yourself or the values you have in your life, then you can control your interaction with that person. That is making a step towards being brave. Because you understand that the occurrence that happens, doesn’t align with who you want to be and is causing you some sort of pain, and you have the power within you to make changes.

What Are Examples Of Being Brave

• You are honest and expect honesty from others.
• You try something new, and you fail at it.
• You ask someone for help.
• You are secure of yourself and act in accordance with your values.
• You keep trying. You never take your eyes off the goal.
• You voice your opinion. Even when others try to make you feel small.

Can Failure Be An Example of Bravery?

Absolutely, yes. If you fail at anything, then that very simply means that you had the courage to TRY. And that, goal sister, means you are brave. I have tried a lot of hobbies, and most of them I do not keep up with. That means, I have found a handful of hobbies that I do not want to spend my time doing. And what is funny about that, is there have been times I have talked to someone, and been able to use experience from something I no longer do to help someone else. And that always makes me feel grateful that I had the courage to try something new.

I sat down and made a list of times I thought I was brave. What I discovered is that most of the items on my list were rooted in fear. Everything I wanted to overcome with my brave actions lied on the other side of fear. I have heard Rachel Hollis say that a thousand times. And now, it finally makes sense.

My Examples of What It Means To Be Brave:

• Looking at my student loan principle balance and interest rate. Yes, this simple task had so much weight to it. Financial burden, guilt, fear, money scarcity, all of it. I felt so brave when I wrote my balance number down and began a plan to pay it off.
• I had a fear of flying, but I desperately wanted to go to Guatemala on a mission trip with my best friend. Funny story, my first flight that was supposed to take 4 hours, ended up taking close to 24 hours. Needless to say, I no longer fear flying.
• Choosing to run a half marathon. Running was something I had stopped doing for several years, and then running became a catalyst for change in my life. I gave myself a far-fetched goal of running a half marathon, and it changed everything about who I am now.
• Writing an email to my mother in law admitting I was wrong and apologizing for my actions. That time period that we didn’t talk was so painful, and I truly wanted our family to come back together again. I did not know how she would react to me. It was hard, it was scary, but thankfully she send me a text back asking if we could talk.
• Creating distance or cutting ties with friends or family. This one is so hard. I am someone that keeps a small circle, so I hate it when my circle gets smaller. If someone is constantly causing me pain, anxiety, and intentionally triggering me in a negative way to get a reaction out of me, then I have to re-evaluate things. I want to be around people that positive, encouraging, and uplifting. Those are the influences I want around my daughter. And that is what I want to model for her, so if someone is causing me hurt to the point of tears, then they do not align with the version of people I want to be surrounded by.

You, Goal Sister, Are Brave

I know you are brave because you are reading this. If you are looking for a sign or a reason to be brave, then here it is. Take some time and think about times you have stood up for yourself or someone else, you asked for something you wanted, you asked someone to help you, when you told a hard truth. Everything you are looking for is already inside you. Step into whatever you want for yourself, and try. Just try. You will learn something just by trying.

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You Goal Sister, Alicia